Rave Reviews

I took a class from you in the summer of 2013 and I wanted to say thank you for the longest time.  But I was going through a divorce (which is finally being completed) and just didn’t have a chance to really sit down and write a thank you note.

It’s been two years since I finished your 6-week class, and I can only say good things about it. I, myself, was having a tough time, but the reason I was able to get through it without worrying too much about the boys was because I was confident that they would be okay because of what I was learning with you. I knew they’d be OK, because I knew how to connect with them even during some of the most difficult times (for them and for me)! So thank you very much!

The connection I built with them is based largely on the “listening tools” that we learned. I learned how and when to connect with my children with those tools and with the specific examples we discussed in the class. It has been so helpful. My boys are now 11 and 5, and their challenges are different these days, but I can still apply the basics to many different situations. Now that I know why and how, I can’t imagine not knowing the Parenting by Connection approach when kids are having difficult times—especially emotionally.

I just wanted to say thank you, and am looking forward to your preteen class in March.

Since our class has ended, I am continuing to unwrap the realizations and tools I learned with you. In short, I am feeling surprisingly confident in the possibility to change our family dynamic, specifically with my older daughter. I no longer feel like it is impossible to re-do our relationship. I am letting go of lots of my interpretations and assumptions, and I am able to cut to the core more often. And in this core, I trust her and I trust myself—our goodness and our love. And I am more able to separate the person from the behavior, both my and her behavior from who we both are. Instead of attempting to never “fail” and loose my temper, and instead of expecting her to stop acting “poorly” my focus has been to accept, really accept and forgive us, each time we “loose” it, and come back to that core (where trust and love is the reality) as soon as we are able.  And it has worked. We sometimes still act in our old “bad” ways, but what is changing is the perception of its meaning, and the shadow of pain and doubt that it used to cause, and the time that it takes in getting back to the core.  So thank you, this wouldn’t be possible without you and all the support I got from you.

When I first started working with Julie, I was dealing with whining, fighting between my two daughters (3 & 7), and losing my temper. It seemed like chaos was the status quo, and I wasn’t sure how to sustain harmony, a sense of safety, and peace of mind.   I needed a set of tools (or new habits) that were easy to remember and readily applicable.I’m not sure I can put a price on the new sets of skills and habits that our family gained. I now feel more capable to deal with whatever emotions come our way.  My relationship with my girls is calmer, there is considerably less shouting, and I feel so much more positive about myself as a parent.